This section is for discussions with other women who have probably been through the same signs/symptoms that you may be experiencing. Please note, we cannot offer medical advice and encourage members to discuss their concerns with their doctors. New members, come on in and introduce yourself!

Yesterday I had a horrible scare and wanted to share with you and hopefully get some imput.

I went in to work at 9am just as usual. For breakfast I had some mango juice and 2 eggo waffles ( nothing out of the ordinary) the waffles were plain with no syrup or butter.

At about 10am I started feeling kind of ill. I felt really weak and tired and maybe a bit nauseated.
Then I started to feel my heartbeating pretty fast. I could feel it in my chest very easily. I started to feel short of breath and my chest was very tight.
I took my pulse and my pulse was about 126 . I had been sitting for over an hour and there was no reason it should have been so high. Usualy my pulse is 86.

So I called my doctor and he said come in immediately. When I got there he rushed me to the back and took my pulse it was 128. and he could tell I was having trouble catching my breath. he took my bp and it was 139/80 which was kind of strange in itself because my diastolic pressure was quite low from where it usually is.

The did an EKG and monitored me to make sure my pulse didnt go any higher and it started going down on its own after about 30 minutes from when it first started at work.

My doctor sent me to a cardiologist who is going to do a heart ultrasound on me on Monday the 15th to check my valves etc.

My question is this.....

Since this episode yesterday my blood pressure has been very low... we are talking 110/55
I know this may sound normal for some of you but I have never had a bp that low and the lowest I have had a bp reading since i was 5 weeks pregnant was 130/78

do you think my bp being so low has anything to do with what the doctors are calling SVT ( what they think I had ) and with my bp reading so much lower than what it normally is, do you think the baby is lacking oxygen?

Has anyone else had their heart race during their 3rd trimester?
What about shortness of breath even when just talking?
I cant even talk without getting short of breath anymore.

I did have shortness of breath, but for me it was more like I had just ran up the stairs than not being able to catch my breath for long peroids of time.

Wow, what a scary experience! Again, congratulations on 28 weeks!

I did not recognize the term SVT but looked it up on webmd and it came back with various references to tachycardia (fast heart rate). I really have no good info to give you. Hopefully you will get some good answers from your cardiologist on Monday. Be sure to ask all the questions you have and to get adequate responses.

BTW, a search of msn for SVT brings up lots and lots of mustang cars...as a warning [;)]

Hope all goes well and that is great that your BP is good (even if for not so good reasons, atleast you don't have to worry about that too much at the moment while this is going on). Definately keep us updated!

Christy,
It sounds like you are being ruled out for SVT ot ST. Which is Supraventricular tachycardia versus sinus tachycardia. I was diagnosed with Sinus tachycardia before I became pregnant, but then had an epsiode of SVT. I saw my cardiologist they did an echocardigram and a stress test everything with my hearts structure looked fine. It was more of a conduction problem. I had the option of meds or there are natual ways of stimulating your heart to slow down. Which they will explain to you. First let them find out which one you have. Also it DOES get worse with preganacy. They never stated I should be concerned with the baby during the episodes, but double check with you cardiologist.
Tammy

Christy,
Congrats for making it this far! I just wanted to let you know I am having a very similar problem. I had a raised b/p at first along with the high pulse rate, but my b/p seems to have gone back down some over the last week. I am still having high pulse rates every day along with trouble breathing and seeing spots. I finally saw a cardiologist today, and I am wearing a holter monitor as we speak. I have been getting the run-around with docs here lately, so I am getting VERY frustrated with all of this, so I hope maybe this will give me some answers. I have had EKG after EKG that showed nothing, and docs don't seem to care if pulse is very high if my b/p isn't! So, cross your fingers for me & I'll let you know if they offer me any useful info on this tomorrow....good luck to you, hope you feel better!

Although I am not pregnant, I can comment on the SVT experience. I experienced this about a month ago. I am 41 years old and all of a sudden without warning, my heart rate was at 180. An ambulance was called and I was given the med adnosine prior to getting to the hospital (2 doses) no explanation was given as to why it happened because know one knew why. It was a scary event for me. For somethis is an ongoing thing and further intervention is needed. My experience may not be helpful now, but if in the future you have this again (hopefully not) you can contact me and I can help.

I had problems with my pulse suddenly skyrocketing during my late second/third trimester with both my pregnancies. It IS a symptomn of PE, not very common one but it is netherless.

There are several things that could be causing your issues including the most common pregnancy problem your thyroid. Your doc should run a blood test to check your thyroid as its very common to cause pregnant woman problems and a racing pusle is one symptomn.

Also, your shortness of breath could be caused simply by the position of the baby not allowing your diaphram to expand enough. But if you have allergies it could be that. Also have you or anyone in your family been diagnosed with asthma? My asthma attacks always start with my pusle jumping about 40 points and then I start to get short of breath and like a wieght being placed on my chest.

Finally, the racing pulse can also be caused by dehydration.

My doc attributed mine to the PE because of how it occured. My episodes would last for 45-60 minutes, way to long for an asthma attack and all my tests came back normal.